1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wastebasket or trash receptacle, and more particularly relates to a wastebasket with a hinged lid and a lid catch which maintains the lid in an upright position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wastebaskets or trash receptacles having lids which may be raised to a substantially upright position so that a top opening in the wastebasket is unobstructed are well known in the art. One such wastebasket is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,492, which issued to Walter Kunze.
The receptacle disclosed in the Kunze patent includes a container 11 and a lid 12 pivotally mounted on the container. The lid swings upwardly and slightly backwardly of the pivot axis so that the lid does not obstruct the top opening of the container. This allows the receptacle to be stacked in other similar receptacles with their lids attached. The lid is formed with a stop surface 18 which rests on the rim 7 of the container to keep the lid in a raised position.
The manner disclosed in the Kunze patent of keeping the lid in an upright position by having it rest on a portion of the container is typical of many known trash receptacles and has its disadvantages. One of the more obvious disadvantages of not latching the lid in an upright position is that it can easily fall if either the container or the lid is disturbed. This problem would be even more annoying with the typical, lightweight household wastebasket which receives an inner liner. Because household wastebaskets are so light, any jarring movement of the wastebasket, such as when a filled inner liner is removed, will tend to knock the lid down if the lid is merely resting on the wastebasket rim in an upright position, that is, without some type of lid catch to keep the lid open.